Carol Burnett on Patti LuPone’s Extraordinary Memoir

Patti Lupone's memoir is not one to miss. Hear it here from Carol Burnett.

Patti Lupone’s story had me from the moment I turned to page one of the prologue until the absolutely triumphant final chapter. The passion with which she writes about the theatre and her love of it found me, at various times, crying and laughing.

I thoroughly enjoyed her backstage tales that were both victorious and horror-filled. The lady pulls no punches in describing her most humiliating moments, such as the backstabbing that unfortunately happens all too often in this business. She recreates her failures and even includes quotes from her worst reviews. She writes about her loves and losses without a tone of self-pity.

The chapter about her struggles with bringing Evita to life gave me goose bumps. It was definitely not an easy journey. She persevered and that role made her a bona fide Broadway star. The chapter about the backstage goings on during the production of Sunset Boulevard are even more harrowing.

The fact that she could take such slings and still remain standing is proof that this is a woman of great strength and grit . . . and TALENT. God gave her the gifts of being able to brilliantly bring characters to life onstage. She’s a wonderful actress . . . and, oh yes, she can sing like nobody’s business.

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This is a heartfelt memoir that exposes Patti’s innermost feelings, fervor, temper, and humor. There’s no “censorship.” She tells it like it is, warts and all. And by the time I finished reading the last chapter, I found myself giving Patti a standing ovation in the privacy of my very own living room.

In engaging anecdotes, Carol discusses her remarkable friendships with stars such at Jimmy Stewart, Lucille Ball, Cary Grant, and Julie Andrews; the background behind famous scenes, like the moment she swept down the stairs in her curtain-rod dress in the legendary “Went With the Wind” skit; and things that would happen only to Carol – the prank with Julie Andrews that went wrong in front of the First Lady; the famous Tarzan Yell that saved her during a mugging; and the time she faked a wooden leg to get served in a famous ice cream emporium. This poignant look back allows us to cry with the actress during her sorrows, rejoice in her successes, and finally, always, to laugh.

PATTI LUPONE swept the 2008 theater awards winning the Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance as Rose in the critically acclaimed Broadway production of the classic musical Gypsy. LuPone has twice been nominated for an Emmy Award, has won two Grammy Awards, and has numerous film, television, and on- and off-Broadway stage credits to her name. A five-time Tony Award nominee and two-time winner, LuPone was the first American actor to win Britain’s Olivier Award.

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